Trattoria La Gatta

The wallpapering of collectible movie posters, which from the outside decorates and catches the eye of passersby—and continues to do so inside—is a prelude to the originality of this establishment, which recently celebrated thirty years since its opening in one of Bologna’s first quiet suburban neighborhoods.
Gerardo and Gerardina, owners and partners both in life and in business, are two distinctive, singular characters—much like their trattoria. They could easily serve as inspiration for many filmmakers, or for one of the works framed on those posters, which are far from being the only source of entertainment here at La Gatta.

Gerardo passionately, knowledgeably, and ahead of his time curates a cellar devoted to natural wines—long before the trend took hold. Being welcomed with that typically southern warmth and affection, and being enchanted by the powerful, carefully chosen labels that the owner pairs with each dish, is in itself worth the experience.

Gerardina oversees and brings to life a cuisine that is entirely her own, as it has always been. Never more than three ingredients—simplicity, like color, sets the rule. Cilentano tradition and its influences surface with every season and change of produce, especially through her beloved soups and gazpachos.

The menu’s long-established backbone is built upon select pasta brands—proudly displayed on the shelves—while the mozzarella is unmissable, but only when their trusted supplier delivers it. The rest is a lively coming and going of home-style recipes imbued with a sense of domestic comfort. You won’t find the technicalities of haute cuisine here, but neither will you encounter flaws. The genovese is its clearest and happiest testament—along with the selection of breads (well-hydrated and pleasantly spongy) and the unfailing montanarina fritta which, together with the little cubes of pasta frittata, carry an air of authenticity straight from Cilento.

But it is the genovese—the iconic Neapolitan recipe made with cappello del prete beef and the sweet coppery onion of Montoro—that, with its collagen-rich texture, leaves diners spellbound, just like those Sunday lunches spent with family at the table in Campania.

La Genovese